The invention relates to a fluid compressor having a reel for storing a length of hose for supplying a compressed fluid such as air to an object of interest such as a pneumatic tool, and more particularly the invention relates to a fluid compressor having a hose reel that is movable from a first position where the hose reel is located proximate one side of the fluid compressor housing to a second position where the hose reel is located away from the one side of the compressor housing.
Hose reels are mounted on truck-mounted air compressors for easy and convenient storage of lengths of air hose. The hose reels are usually fixed either to an end of the compressor housing, the top of the compressor housing, or on the truck bed. The fixed mounting location and orientation of the hose reel are selected after determining the typical position and orientation of the truck at a work site where compressed air is to be supplied.
Conventional hose reels are mounted and oriented to be able to easily supply compressed air at the majority of the job sites requiring pressurized air. However, once the hose reel is fixed to the compressor or truck bed it can not be relocated. As a result, frequently, it is difficult to connect the hose to the object of interest because the hose reel is often fixed in a location and orientation that are inconvenient relative to where the work requiring the compressed air is to be performed. For example, the hose reel may be located on the curb side of the truck while the work is to be performed on the opposite side of the street away from the curb. In such a situation, in order to supply the hose to the opposite side of the street, work must be stopped and the hose must be rerouted across the street. The rerouted hose is passed across the street, and may not be sufficiently long to reach the work site and also may be punctured by machinery at the site as the machinery travels over the hose.
There are several problems associated with mounting hose reels in fixed locations on the end of the compressor, roof of the compressor, and bed of the truck. When the hose reel is fixed to the roof of the compressor, the overall height of the compressor is increased and as a result, the hose reel can interfere with overhead storage racks on the trucks. It is also difficult to reach the hose reel because of its distance above the ground. Hose reels fixed on the bed of the truck take up of valuable cargo space on the truck bed, and also interfere with removal of the air compressor from the truck bed for service and repair because plumbing from the compressor to the hose reel must be disconnected before servicing and then reconnected after the compressor is serviced. When hose reels are rigidly mounted to an end of the compressor housing, the rigidly mounted hose reels block access to the interior of the compressor and must be removed before the compressor can be serviced, making servicing the compressor difficult.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices and methods. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.